Historic Prairie Trail begins its 7th season

The Historic Prairie Trail…along the Yellowstone Trail has opened for the 2013 season, its seventh year. Significant historical sites along the trail sport a golden pineapple, welcoming walkers to the trail and to Prairie County. Prairie Trail is open May 1 through September 30 each year.

This golden pineapple sits at the corner of Logan
Avenue and Bowen street designating the home of
Jim and Jo Ausk.

The Prairie County Chamber of Commerce-sponsored trail is headquartered at the historic Kempton Hotel on Spring Street and meanders through Terry past historic homes, county and early- time buildings and the Prairie County Museum and Cameron Gallery.

Registration for the trail is made in a black case located in the lobby of the Kempton Hotel Lobby where route descriptions and maps are available. Although the trail is free to recreational walkers, American Volkssport Association walkers pay $3 to receive credit for the walk through the national organization. The local trail is sanctioned by AVA, a member of the International Federation of Popular Sports.

Following regulations, the VolksWalk trail is a 10K walk, but a shortened version of about 5K is designated on the map, omitting the Prairie County Cemetery and a walk near the Prairie County Fair grounds.

“It is suggested that walkers carry water and wear comfortable shoes. This walk is not difficult. It is important sign in prior to walking so that activity reports can be correctly submitted to AVA/IVV,” reminds Prairie Chamber trail chairman Darlene L. Strobel.

The trail route takes walkers through the Terry Public Schools complex, past the grave of early-day photographer Evelyn Cameron, to a brick jail and past an elegant brick outhouse, all located in or very near Terry, our “Little Town Below the Badlands.”

A portion of the local trail follows the historical Yellowstone Trail which ran from Plymouth Rock, MA, to Puget Sound WA, from 1912 to 1930 and was marked with yellow stones to assist travelers in staying on the crude coast-to-coast trail.

The Yellowstone Trail went through Baker, Ismay, Terry and on to Miles City to Fort Keogh and continued to the west coast. A sign designating this old trail has been restored as it was on the back of the little State Bank of Terry (1916) and is noted on the route description.

Prairie Trail, one of several trails nestled in four eastern Montana communities, is coordinated by the Miles City Volkswalk Club. Trails are located in Miles City, Colstrip, Glendive and Terry.